Sounds and Smells of the Country

This has been quite an unseasonably warm winter.  I'm a bit concerned that the weather didn't match the persimmon seeds.  Two possibilities have come to mind.  Either we've so distorted our weather with chemicals and technology, what has been working in nature for eons will no longer gibe with the "reality that has been manufactured," or . . . March is going to be very wintry!  At this point, I don't know, but what I do know is, I'm very thankful for the sounds and smells of the country.

The other morning as I walked out the door to do morning chores, the fragrance of a spring rain was in the air.  I know, a bit early, but it was very clearly there.  There are already jonquils and some ground cover blooming, which scented the gentle breeze, and the smell of fresh milk was wafting.  Then there are the sounds of the baby goats playing and their mothers calling them.  The roosters were impatiently crowing, awaiting my arrival to open the chicken house, and Hank stood at the bottom of the steps "talking" to me, giving the "night report."

Living in the country, working the land has certainly had it's frustrations on occasion, but the pros far outweigh the cons.  I have not set an alarm clock in over a decade, yet I've witnessed the most beautiful sunrises, courtesy of our Creator and the rooster.  In the past three years now, I've sort of moved to a split shift.  My bedtime is much earlier now, than it once was, but Father awakens me, usually between 2-4 or 5 for amazing time of prayer, contemplation, and intercession . . . and hearing HIM!  Through the winter months, I go back to sleep for another few hours.  In the summer months, morning comes somewhat earlier . . .   

The sounds and smells change with the seasons, of course, and I think perhaps this unusual winter has brought to my attention, just how precious the sounds and smells of the country are . . . not to mention the sights.  This is the first winter I've enjoyed flocks of cardinals and bluebirds in the same season.  Seems the cardinals are in abundance in the winter, but the bluebirds are out of sight until spring.  Even the robins were a part of the February scenery this year.

As I go about my chore routine, I smile and say thank you to my Heavenly Father.  As I organize my thoughts of the garden and the flocks and herds, I smile and say thank you to my Heavenly Father.  As I think of the first Thursday of the month, the livestock auction is one of my favorite places.  Just in thinking of that, I smile and say thank you to my Heavenly Father.  The sounds and smells of the country truly are a blessing.

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land  Song of Solomon 2:12

Winter's Coming

Like any "old farm woman" I have certain patterns or routines I follow and notice in taking care of the place.  The reason for patterns and routines are simple, it's so I don't forget to tend to something, but I also take note of changes.  Although I'm still enjoying the windows open, the other morning was down right chilly.  As the seasons change, so does the way I take care of the place, and so does the way I dress to take care of the place.

When the trees are leafed out, the place is pretty much isolated.  Only one neighbor's house is even visible from this place at all, and not when the trees are leafed out.  The Land of Goshen is pretty secluded.  I admit, in the summertime, I enjoy morning chores in my nightie with an apron over it.  It's just a sweet reminder of the freedom I am enjoying, as our rights continue to be diminished and our national freedoms, discarded.

I've said all this for really no apparent reason, but I do have a point to this article.  In my routine of season changes, I also have three different jackets.  One is really more or less a heavy flannel shirt, which I wear when the morning air is a bit crisp, usually in mid October.  The next jacket is a very heavy flannel, still unlined, but it's twice the weight and weave of the first jacket.  The third, is a flannel jacket with a filled lining.  That usually gets me through the ice chopping months.  There have been a couple of days that layering has been required, but those are rare.  I'm expecting more of them this winter than I have experienced so far in my years of homesteading..

Although it was only once, I've already worn the middle weight jacket this year, for morning chores!
All indications seem to be warning of a rather harsh winter.  The Farmer's Almanac, the meteorologists, the animals putting on a winter coat, and the persimmon seeds, all seem to forecast extra snow.  To add to that, I had a dream in which I saw the lane and the lower road impassable due to snow.  The dream continued in which I saw myself actually moving my banking online, because I couldn't even get the 1/2 mile to the mailbox.  When I saw this clearly distinct spoon in the persimmon seed, I knew heavy snow was in the forecast.  I haven't yet seen a wooly worm, so I'll be sure to let you know when one weighs in, on the forecast.